Isolation of two triterpenes from Lythrum salicaria L. and the effect of betulinic acid on the proliferation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells

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Purple loosestrife –Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae) is well known as a medicinal plant, which grows commonly in damp places of moderate climate in Asia, Europe and North America. Its pharmacological activity is mostly due to its phenolic constituents, mainly tannins [1]. It is used for its beneficial health effects against diarrhea, chronic intestinal catarrh, hemorrhoids, eczema, varicose veins and bleeding of the gums [2]. The powdered herbal parts of Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae) were extracted with 80% methanol. The concentrated methanol extracts were suspended in water and partitioned with ethyl acetate and then n-butanol, sequentially. The ethyl acetate extract was applied to silica gel column chromatography and afforded one sterol and two triterpene compounds. Their chemical structures were determined by mass and NMR spectroscopy as β-sitosterol (1), betulinic acid (2), and 3β-hydroxy-20(29)-lupen-28-oic acid methyl ester (3). These two triterpene compounds were isolated for the first time from Lythrum salicaria L. The effect of betulinic acid (2) on the proliferation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was examined by checking the cell viability. Betulinic acid (2) showed a tendency of increasing the growth of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.